1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system and methodology for sensing parameters in a wellbore. The parameters can be sensed internally and/or externally of an electric submersible pumping system deployed within the wellbore.
2. Description of Related Art
An electric submersible pumping system generally is formed as an electric submersible pump string having at least three main component sections. The sections comprise three-phase motor stages, pump stages, and motor protector stages generally located between the motor stages and the pump stages. In a typical arrangement, the motor stages are located below the pump stages within the wellbore. Historically, measurement of parameters within the well was constrained to sensors located below the motor stages and above the pump stages. For example, certain existing electric submersible pump string sensor systems utilize a sensing unit connected at the bottom of the submersible motor.
Attempts have been made to collect data from locations along the electric submersible pump string on various parameters. For example, a complete transducer has been attached to the side of the pump string by clamps or gauge carriers. In other attempts, a pressure line has been routed from a location along the pump string to a pressure sensor in a unit mounted below the motor. Also, sensors have been attached to the outside of the pump string and coupled to a dedicated electrical or fiber optic line run from a surface location. However, none of these approaches has succeeded in providing a rugged system of sensors for integration into an electric submersible pump string.